Changes in Blood Histamine Levels and of Histamine Release from Leucocytes in Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

Changes in blood histamine levels and histamine release from leucocytes were examined in various respiratory diseases (Blood histamine: 98 cases of bronchial asthma, 2 cases of acute bronchitis, 6 cases of chronic bronchitis, 6 cases of chronic pulmonary emphysema, 12 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, 4 cases of allergic rhinitis and 18 cases of normal individuals, 146 cases in total. Histamine release: 34 cases of asthmatics). Histamine concentrations were measured by the technique of Shore's method. The following results were obtained. 1) There was no difference in the blood histamine level among these respiratory diseases except in asthma patients. The blood histamine levels of asthmatics were higher than in normal individuals and other respiratory diseases (P<0.01). Blood histamine levels during asthmatic attack were higher than in attack-free interval (P<0.01). There were no difference according to various treatments. 2) In asthmatics allergic to house dust, histamine release from leucocytes was higher than in normal controls (P<0.02). These cases given a specific hyposensitization showed decreased histamine release ratio compared to cases without specific therapy (P<0.01). 3) Histamine release from leucocytes was inhibited for 4 months after commencement of the hyposensitization therapy. In the cases effective with hyposensitization, evidently decrdased histamine release compared to non-effective asthmatic individuals (P<0.01).